Information processing apparatus, its control method, and program

Abstract

Modality information associated with modalities of a control device is received via a communication module. Also, dialog information associated with dialog of a device to be controlled is received via the communication module. A bind layer inference module generates bind information that infers the relationship between the modality information and dialog information, and binds the modality information and dialog information. The bind information and dialog information are transmitted to the control device via the communication module.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An information processing apparatus which supports control between a control device and a device to be controlled via a network, comprising: 
 first reception means for receiving modality information associated with modalities of the control device;    second reception means for receiving dialog information associated with dialog of the device to be controlled;    generation means for generating bind information that infers a relationship between the modality information and the dialog information, and binds the modality information and the dialog information; and    transmission means for transmitting the bind information and the dialog information to the control device.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the modality information, dialog information, and bind information are described in a markup language, and 
 the markup language includes 
 a dialog description indicating contents of the dialog of the device to be controlled,  
 a modality description which is formed independently of the dialog description, and indicates the modalities of the control device, and  
 a bind description that binds the modality description and the dialog description.  
   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the dialog description is formed of one or a plurality of minimum dialog units which serve as input/output processing units, and each minimum dialog unit includes zero or one input element, and zero, or one or more output elements.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the modality description includes a hierarchical relationship among modality classes, and instances of the modalities, and a modality of the control device is defined as a sub-class and instance of a generic modality defined in a generic modality description that describes definitions of generic modalities with reference to the generic modality description.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the bind description is a description which binds one or a plurality of modalities to one or a plurality of input elements, and includes a description of a method of combining modalities when a plurality of modalities are to be bound to one input element.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the bind description is a description which binds one or a plurality of modalities to one or a plurality of output elements, and includes a description of a method of combining modalities when a plurality of modalities are to be bound to one output element.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the control device comprises: 
 management means for managing the modalities in accordance with the modality description; and    modality control means for controlling processes between the modalities and dialog in accordance with the bind description, and    the device to be controlled comprises: 
 dialog execution means for managing the dialog in accordance with the dialog description; and  
 control means for executing control of the device to be controlled on the basis of an instruction from said dialog execution means.  
   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising storage means for storing a bind sample which describes the generic modalities, input/output elements which can be bound to the generic modalities, and appropriate level information of binding, and 
 wherein said generation means generates the bind information that infers a relationship between the modality information and the dialog information, and binds the modality information and the dialog information, with reference to the bind sample.    
     
     
         9 . An information processing apparatus which serves as a control device that controls an operation of a device to be controlled, comprising: 
 reception means for receiving dialog information associated with dialog of the device to be controlled;    generation means for generating bind information that infers a relationship between modality information associated with modalities of said information processing apparatus, and the dialog information, and binds the modality information and the dialog information;    management means for managing the modalities in accordance with the modality information; and    modality control means for controlling processes between the modality and the dialog in accordance with the bind information.    
     
     
         10 . An information processing apparatus which serves as a device to be controlled that executes a process on the basis of an instruction from a control device, comprising: 
 transmission means for transmitting dialog information associated with dialog of said information processing apparatus to the control device;    dialog execution means for managing the dialog in accordance with the dialog information; and    control means for executing control of said information processing apparatus on the basis of an instruction from said dialog execution means.    
     
     
         11 . A method of controlling an information processing apparatus which supports control between a control device and a device to be controlled via a network, comprising: 
 a first reception step of receiving modality information associated with modalities of the control device;    a second reception step of receiving dialog information associated with dialog of the device to be controlled;    a generation step of generating bind information that infers a relationship between the modality information and the dialog information, and binds the modality information and the dialog information; and    a transmission step of transmitting the bind information and the dialog information to the control device.    
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the modality information, dialog information, and bind information are described in a markup language, and 
 the markup language includes 
 a dialog description indicating contents of the dialog of the device to be controlled,  
 a modality description which is formed independently of the dialog description, and indicates the modalities of the control device, and  
 a bind description that binds the modality description and the dialog description.  
   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the dialog description is formed of one or a plurality of minimum dialog units which serve as input/output processing units, and each minimum dialog unit includes zero or one input element, and zero, or one or more output elements.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the modality description includes a hierarchical relationship among modality classes, and instances of the modalities, and a modality of the control device is defined as a sub-class and instance of a generic modality defined in a generic modality description that describes definitions of generic modalities with reference to the generic modality description.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the bind description is a description which binds one or a plurality of modalities to one or a plurality of input elements, and includes a description of a method of combining modalities when a plurality of modalities are to be bound to one input element.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the bind description is a description which binds one or a plurality of modalities to one or a plurality of output elements, and includes a description of a method of combining modalities when a plurality of modalities are to be bound to one output element.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the control device comprises: 
 a management step of managing the modalities in accordance with the modality description; and    a modality control step of controlling processes between the modalities and dialog in accordance with the bind description, and    the device to be controlled comprises: 
 a dialog execution step of managing the dialog in accordance with the dialog description; and  
 a control step of executing control of the device to be controlled on the basis of an instruction from the dialog execution step.  
   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising the storage step of storing, in a storage medium, a bind sample which describes the generic modalities, input/output elements which can be bound to the generic modalities, and appropriate level information of binding, and 
 wherein the generation step includes the step of generating the bind information that infers a relationship between the modality information and the dialog information, and binds the modality information and the dialog information, with reference to the bind sample.    
     
     
         19 . A method of controlling an information processing apparatus which serves as a control device that controls an operation of a device to be controlled, comprising: 
 a reception step of receiving dialog information associated with dialog of the device to be controlled;    a generation step of generating bind information that infers a relationship between modality information associated with modalities of the information processing apparatus, and the dialog information, and binds the modality information and the dialog information;    a management step of managing the modalities in accordance with the modality information; and    a modality control step of controlling processes between the modality and the dialog in accordance with the bind information.    
     
     
         20 . A method of controlling an information processing apparatus which serves as a device to be controlled that executes a process on the basis of an instruction from a control device, comprising: 
 a transmission step of transmitting dialog information associated with dialog of the information processing apparatus to the control device;    a dialog execution step of managing the dialog in accordance with the dialog information; and    a control step of executing control of the information processing apparatus on the basis of an instruction from said dialog execution means.    
     
     
         21 . A program for making a computer control an information processing apparatus which supports control between a control device and a device to be controlled via a network, comprising: 
 a program code of a first reception step of receiving modality information associated with modalities of the control device;    a program code of a second reception step of receiving dialog information associated with dialog of the device to be controlled;    a program code of a generation step of generating bind information that infers a relationship between the modality information and the dialog information, and binds the modality information and the dialog information; and    a program code of a transmission step of transmitting the bind information and the dialog information to the control device.    
     
     
         22 . A program for making a computer control an information processing apparatus which serves as a control device that controls an operation of a device to be controlled, comprising: 
 a program code of a reception step of receiving dialog information associated with dialog of the device to be controlled;    a program code of a generation step of generating bind information that infers a relationship between modality information associated with modalities of the information processing apparatus, and the dialog information, and binds the modality information and the dialog information;    a program code of a management step of managing the modalities in accordance with the modality information; and    a program code of a modality control step of controlling processes between the modality and the dialog in accordance with the bind information.    
     
     
         23 . A program for making a computer control an information processing apparatus which serves as a device to be controlled that executes a process on the basis of an instruction from a control device, comprising: 
 a program code of a transmission step of transmitting dialog information associated with dialog of the information processing apparatus to the control device;    a program code of a dialog execution step of managing the dialog in accordance with the dialog information; and    a program code of a control step of executing control of the information processing apparatus on the basis of an instruction from said dialog execution means.